Sunday, March 23, 2008

A lie a day

Comments (14)

I don't know the context of Powell's statement, but I would hazard a guess that he really means the streetcar is a huge gain for HIS business. Having all those tourist readers dropped off right at the door of his bookstore means big dollars for him.

I doubt that most businesses that just happen to be near streetcar stops have an equal share in the benefits.

If you think about it, businesses that are tourist oriented will be big backers of the streetcar loop. What better than a place where folks can fly in, take light rail to the hotels downtown, and then be able to hit all the tourist spots without renting a car. The streetcar definitely feathers their nests.... unfortunately we end up with a minimum wage economy and a huge tax burden.

It just isn't that convenient to haul one's tourist luggage on MAX, there aren't that many "tourist spots" to visit, this aint San Francisco and vacationer/tourists don't choose to go somewhere because of nifty mass transit unless there's nifty things to take it to.
That's the problem with the Tram. It's nifty but it doesn't go any where or even to the top of the hills. So big deal.
The Palm Springs Tram is a Tram.

The many other destinations where there's bigger and better reasons to go there leave Portland the same place it was before our rail transit and Tram.
A second tier, second thought stop over at best. Just like Portland, every single major top tier competitor has been dolling up their locales with shops and restaurants to further augment their major attractions.

Sorry "Dreamers" the idea that Portland's planning and choo choo transit gives it a leg up on the competition is nothing but more of Portland weird.
So if your goal is to "Keep Portland Weird" be happy.

Adding a Convention Center Hotel won't change a thing either.
Unless it has a major casino of course. Then I'd wager Portland could begin competing with those more attractive destinations.

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 80
At this date last year: 89
Total run in 2014: 401
In 2013: 257
In 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269